


Oblivious

by AuroraDefae



Category: Marvel
Genre: Idiots, M/M, One shot with extension, Pining, Steve was in another relationship, The team tries to get them together, clueless idiot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-16
Updated: 2019-02-16
Packaged: 2019-10-29 18:46:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17813453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AuroraDefae/pseuds/AuroraDefae
Summary: Everyone except Steve knows Tony loves him. Natasha, done with the drama, informs Steve that Tony is locked in his workshop because 'someone' doesn't like him back. Steve, a total dumbass, takes care of Tony and trash-talks the person who doesn't love him back.These idiots.From this prompt





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> continuing to move things out of the black hole of my blog to here so I can find them. To be continued sometime? (3 years old)

Tony had grown up hearing about, being compared to him, everything Captain America Captain America Captain America, that sometimes he wished he could go back (he had tried to invent a time machine when he was eleven, but the availability to tationic particles was nonexistent), and shove him. He liked Captain America, so he didn’t want to shove him, but he wanted to shove him or- it didn’t matter now because Captain America would walk into the kitchen with bedhead and greet the team. Captain America would never stop encouraging Tony when he got frustrated and started cursing at Dum-E and throwing tools around, Captain America was..Captain America. He was Steve.

All of them living together in the tower was pretty chaotic (read: Clint and Thor) and it took forever for them to know how to work around each other, another forever until they felt like a family. Then things started to go better, they would work together on missions, Natasha wasn’t constantly cussing at them in a steady stream of Russian, Clint jumped off way too many buildings and there was a bet between all of them to see who would catch Clint the most. Thor was leading that tally. Clint stopped when someone Instagrammed Thor carrying Clint like a baby. They were a time bomb, as Bruce had said, but- they started to fit together and understand one another, a family. Not the family Tony grew up with, a better one.

Once Tony stopped throwing tools around and cursing fluently at Dum-E, trying to go back to his project because Captain America - Steve - was standing there with that stupid puppy face he insisted he didn’t have, eyes bright and voice encouraging. Once Tony woke up from bad PTSD episodes, and Steve had a warm cup of tea for him because he had told Jarvis to tell him if anyone had nightmares, whenever Steve’s voice cracked as it came through the comms, asking if the team member in the exploding building had gotten out okay,Steve’s sigh of relief when said member came through again after static filled the comms, Steve when-

 

Fuck. Tony realized he liked Steve like that only when Pepper cornered him and then proceeded to lecture him, upon which Natasha and Clint had stumbled into, and then they told Bruce, who mentioned it to Thor and now all of them cleared their throats pointedly at Tony when Steve was near, and Steve would look around with confusion as Tony tried to not blush because damn you four, no. Just no. Nothing would happen. He’d rather crush, or walk around completely in love like a common fool, whatever it was, than ruin their friendship.

Tony got off drink, got less PTSD episodes as time progressed, and it… was okay.

 

- 

 

Okay until two years into the others rolling their eyes when Tony listened intensely to Steve as he started ranting about something and nearly knocking all of their morning coffees off the table as his face lit up. Two years into Tony being pathetically in love with the man, many rants from Pepper, Clint signing jokes at Tony, two years into the team not leaving it alone, the worse happened.

Maybe not the worse worse, the world wasn’t about to disappear into a dark hole Doctor Doom had somehow created- but it was the end of this peace he had found with loving Steve but doing nothing about it. Because that was okay. Painful at times, but okay.

And then Natasha eyed Steve one day as he came back from something in the city, Tony knew it was a date, not even the first or second but now several months of dates, Natasha never said the word, but it was okay. It would be okay.

 

 

“What’s that in your pocket, Steve?” Natasha smirked, trying to be quiet so Tony didn’t hear but hell he did, he heard the nervousness in Steve’s voice and the blush and the shaking and he was not okay. Tony disappeared into his workshop for weeks afterward, even though Natasha would come and shout through the glass that Steve was waiting until a family emergency ended to ask, at which Tony shot her looks because yes, he was obvious, but the other four were painfully obvious.

 

So when the knocking came again, he groaned dramatically - _why couldn’t they leave him to his misery_ \- and saw Steve standing on the other side of the glass, Natasha blowing a kiss and winking as the lift behind him closed. Tony felt his face go red and he ran out of sight, diving behind a table. Dum-E, the stupid traitor, undid the locking mechanism on the doors that Tony had told Jarvis to put in place, and now there were footsteps coming towards him and _shit shit shit shit shit shit-_

Steve came into view, face adorably concerned, Tony would be trying to memorize it right now but he was in the middle of freaking out that Natasha had told Steve and he was here to let him down gently, their friendship would be over-

“When did you last get sleep, Tony?” Steve eyebrows furrowed and Tony let out the breath he had been holding, maybe Natasha hadn’t told him.

 

 

“Sir hasn’t slept in approximately three and a half days, Captain,” Jarvis answered and all of a sudden Steve was pulling Tony out from under the table and walking him out of the workshop, thanking Dummy for letting him in and then they were in a lift and Tony had a bubble in his throat as Steve looked at him with furrowed eyebrows.

 

 

“If that person doesn’t like you-” Steve started as the lift swooshed upwards.

“What?” Tony found himself croaking, _shit shit shit shit shit-_

“Natasha told me you’re in love with someone who doesn’t love you back, that’s why you’ve been locked in your workshop-”

Oh. Everything was okay.

“If that person doesn’t love you, they don’t deserve you, you’re a great man Tony-”

Tony was too tired to not react as the dagger dug into his heart all over again, twisting painfully, and he thought his legs gave out as he let himself cry for the first time. Once he got control again, Steve helped him onto his feet, telling him to shower- _you’re covered in grease_ \- and to sleep. Tony cried in the shower some more before emerging back into his room just as the door was closing and his eyes immediately fell on the cup of tea on his nightstand and he broke again.

 

It just got worse, but it also got better, but it was bad, but it was-

 

Steve was doting on him and telling him how amazing he was, trash-talking them in his forties way, making sure he ate, the ring resting on his dresser as he tried to make Tony okay, to help him move past this, because

 

"God damn it, Tony, you’re a good man, they clearly don’t deserve you if they can’t love you-”

 

And Natasha would sigh and clunk her head heavily onto the table as Clint laughed until Steve shot him a look, waiting until Steve turned away again to laugh again.

“These fucking idiots.” Natasha whispered, and Thor nodded.

“Verily, Natasha.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you guys...

While he wasn't Thor, who was dead set on being an optimist and holding together the team emotionally, Steve was still the energy on the team. Sometimes his nightmares were bad and he walked into the kitchen with dark bags under his eyes, eyes distant. Natasha would shove him into a chair at the table, fixing him an extra-strong cup of coffee (a blend Tony had invented for them) that worked around the serum. It'd take several minutes, but Steve would sit up with a small, tired smile to ask everyone how they were. Sometimes he'd be a bit grumpy because his body hurt if they'd had a tough mission the day before, but he tried to not infect anyone else with negativity. 

 

Tony didn't look over from his holo-screens as Steve stumbled into the kitchen, guessing his nightmares had been bad and kept him up for a bit.

 

"Oh my god." 

 

Natasha didn't usually exclaim when there were shadows of nightmares in Steve's eyes. She didn't move to make coffee or get Steve to sit down this time, either. 

 

Tony looked over.

 

Steve looked _awful_. 

 

There were bags under his eyes, but his face was also puffy from tears, his hair wild and his posture slumped. He just stood in the doorway to the kitchen, unsure of what he was doing. 

 

 

"Steve?" Natasha's voice was small as she went up to him, arms reaching out like she thought he'd fall over at any moment. "What's wrong?" 

He just shook his head, stumbling a bit, and Natasha steadied him. 

"Please talk, you look awful and I-" she cut off, looking around the kitchen to see everyone staring at him, her eyes sliding over Tony's scared look. "We are really concerned."

 

"Some reporters tracked Anna down a while ago and have been harassing her. It got worse when cell phone videos of our mission yesterday-" He cut off, swaying again as he made a pained noise. 

"Did she-"

"Yeah." 

"Steve, I'm sorry." 

 

"I'll be fine, I just need that coffee Tony engineered."

Natasha looked like she was going to say something, but she steered him to the table, giving him a quick hug before going to make coffee. 

 

-

 

"Guess we're in the same boat now." Tony looked to the doorway of his workshop, Steve slumped against it, his face still sad but a bit more him.

 

Tony didn't respond, turning back to his screens, pretending to be buried in code. 

"Are you okay?"

"Just getting some bugs I noticed yesterday worked out." 

"What's wrong?" 

 

Tony could see Steve push himself off the doorframe, making to head into the room. 

"Nothing I can't fix, Cap."

 

"You haven't called me that in months."

"Would you prefer Capsicle?" Tony joked, his mind screaming  _get him out_.

"Tony-"

"I really need to work on this code before we get another mission."

There was a pause.

 

"I'll leave you to it then."

 

Tony listened for the doors of the lifts to close before swiping everything off his desk violently. 

 

"Sir?"

 

"Not now, Jarvis."

 

-

 

Tony threw himself into his suits and improving everyone's gear so he'd have an excuse to hole up in his workshop, locking the door to 'keep out distractions' because he needed to focus. 

 

 

"I think it's been days since he ate last." Steve barely dodged Natasha's punch.

"Steve, you asked to spar." 

"I'm worried."

 

"Oh for fuck's sake." She whispered, knocking Steve off his feet.

 

He looked at her, staying on the ground. "You're not worried?" 

"Of course I am."

"What made him hole up this time, anyway?"

"Why don't you ask him yourself?"

"He's locked the door and blocked Jarvis from putting calls through. Even Dum-E won't let me in."

"Dum-E?"

"He's gotten attached to me in the last two years, and always lets me in if the door is closed. Or, until now."

"Just find a way to talk to him, you're distracted and your form is horrible." She held out a hand, and he took it, standing up.

"How?"

"You've fought alien armies, I think you can figure out how to get into a room."

 

-

 

"Now what do you want?" 

 

Tony batted at Dum-E, who was waving a piece of paper enthusiastically in his face -while he was trying to work with power tools, none the less.

 

He beeped loudly, and Tony sighed, grabbing the paper.

 

_You need to eat, please come out. We're all worried, I'm worried._

 

Tony looked at Steve's note, rereading it a few times before wadding it up, throwing it his shoulder. 

 

-

 

Tony had collapsed on the couch in exhaustion, waking up to the most frantic beeping Dum-E had ever made and another note on his face. 

 

_I've got pizza._

 

He went to ball up the note, his stomach growling horribly, rolling in pain. 

 

 

"Jarvis, how long has it been since I ate?"

 

"A week since you ate anything substantial."

 

"Alright, Dum-E, let him in." 

He almost fell over, he raced to the door so fast, opening it. 

 

 

Steve came in nervously, carrying a box from his favorite pizza place, looking around until his eyes fell on Tony, stopping in his tracks.

"Do I really look that horrible?"

"You look exhausted." Steve moved again, handing the box to him before sitting next to him on the couch. 

Tony didn't respond, inhaling the pizza as Steve sat there, looking at the floor until he finished.

 

"Why have you barricaded yourself in here again? Is it that person who didn't like you?"

 

He was too tired for this. 

"Yes." 

 

"They obviously don't deserve you, you need to move on."

"Kind of hard when I see them every day."  _Had he just said that?_

"What?"

"Ignore me, I'm exhausted."

"No, what do you mean you see them every day?" Steve turned towards him, moving closer. 

 

Tony picked a spot on the wall across from them. "It's you."

 

There was a long, painful silence, and Tony's heart constricted.

 

"You like me?" 

Tony was forcibly turned to face Steve. 

"Just get it over with, okay?"

"Get what over with?"

 

"Letting me down, telling me I'm crazy, I don't know- just please get it over with." 

 

"Tony, I can't."

"You can't?" His heart beat hopefully, and he told it to shut up.

"Our friendship is the most valuable one that I've made here in the future. I didn't want to mess it up or risk it."

 

Tony's heart jumped again. "What?"

Steve cupped his cheek. "I like you too, Tony. A lot." 

"You-" 

He nodded, biting his lip.

 

Tony closed the distance between them, grabbing his face to kiss him, Steve immediately wrapping his arms around Tony's waist to pull him closer. 

 

"You're a goddamn idiot, Steve." Tony broke for air, his heart racing.

"That's fair."

 

A smile split Steve's face, Tony feeling his face turn into a smile as they kissed again. 


End file.
